


Why didn't you go with her? (Abandoned work)

by theShe_Ra (FireFERN17)



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, Gen, Glimmer (She-Ra) Swears, Minor Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Minor Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra), Multi, Other, POV Alternating, POV Catra (She-Ra), POV Female Character, POV Glimmer (She-Ra), POV Multiple, POV Third Person, Past Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Poor Catra (She-Ra), Queen Glimmer (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:00:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23358910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireFERN17/pseuds/theShe_Ra
Summary: (This work is now abandoned, I will no longer continue writing it)Glimmer and Catra are stuck in one of Horde Prime's cells together, full of resentment, fear, anger and sadness. Hope is all but lost. With no-one to talk to but each other, what else can they do?
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first fanfic!
> 
> I haven't done much freelance writing recently, and since there's nothing to do but spiral until season 5, I wrote this! Chapters will be slightly shorter than average since I'll be posting frequently.
> 
> Feel free to reach out to me, I'm on lots of other platforms!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this first chapter!

A small groan of pain carried across the dark cell, followed by some shuffling. Catra pressed herself further into one of the corners of the cell, flattening her ears against the noises. In another corner, with her back to Catra, Glimmer cursed silently, constantly moving her shoulders in discomfort. After a few more hushed whines Catra got up and crossed the short distance to Glimmer, her tail lashing with irritation.

“What’s wrong with you?” She hissed. Upon closer examination Catra could see Glimmer’s shirt was stretched taught over her back. Her cloak lay discarded by her side and her hair was messy, resembling the way she used to wear it.

“What do you care?” She growled through clenched teeth.

“You're being noisy and it’s annoying.” Catra huffed, flicking her tail back and forth.

“My wings are finally growing in,” Glimmer muttered “Since my connection with the Moonstone got stronger recently...” She trailed off, and straightened her shoulders, wincing, and Catra could see the fabric catching on two protruding areas. She traced one area with her hand and Glimmer flinched.

“Relax Glitter, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Catra murmured. Gently pulling the fabric up, she sliced a clean hole through the material, pulling out a small, fluffy, slightly bloodied wing. After the process was repeated for the second wing, Glimmer sighed, slumping against the cell wall.

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Don’t thank me; I just wanted you to shut up.” Catra stomped back to her corner, muttering “Stupid sparkles all over me now.” just loud enough for Glimmer to hear. She received no response.

~

After some time, a tall pale clone appeared and opened part of the cell door, sliding in a tray with two small meals. After slipping the hatch closed the clone disappeared. Catra turned her head in the direction of the food, casting a glance towards Glimmer. She didn’t stir. Catra crept over to the tray, checking the contents. Two pieces of bread, some fruit, water...  
And a shot glass of milk. Catra hissed angrily. _What kind of stupid joke do they think I am?_ She glared at the glass for a long moment before picking it up and throwing back the milk in a single gulp. She stretched up, dropping the glass on the floor and lazily watching it roll off into the shadows. Her gaze snapped away when she saw Glimmer pull her knees up to her chin. The smaller girl was gently shaking, sagged against the cell wall where Catra had left her. She looked pale, despite the dim lighting. Catra pushed over the tray and Glimmer tensed at the scraping sound it made.

“You look like you need this more than I do.” Catra said, gesturing at the food. Glimmer turned her head a little, and Catra could see Glimmer’s eyes were red-rimmed from tears. Feeling awkward at her sudden show of empathy, she quickly added “Horde Prime is only keeping me here to keep you company. If you die, I’m just a waste of space.” She turned away from Glimmer, clenching her hands into fists. Just like I was only there to keep Adora company. She thought bitterly. She put her hand on the wall, resting her forehead next to it. The metal was cold to the touch, and Catra remembered drawing on the steel wall of Adora’s bunk. 

_‘Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.’_

_‘You promise?’_

_‘I promise.’_

Slowly, almost without thinking, she moved the hand that was on the wall, dragging her claw through the metal and beginning to draw the familiar shapes of a ponytail and pompadour. When she finished Adora, she moved her hand to draw herself next to the smiling blonde. She traced the shape of her mask and drew a mane of wild hair and a pair of ears poking out from behind it. She finished by adding eyes and a smirk. Catra moved her hand away.

_‘As long as we have each other…’_

_… But that’s not how it is anymore._  
She felt something warm and wet slide down her cheek and looked at the drawing of Adora. Catra hesitated, before drawing in Bow and Glimmer on Adora’s other side. She put her palm above the drawing of herself and dragged down her claws, through the metal: through herself. Catra dropped to her knees, hot tears gathering in her eyes. She took her mask off and placed it on the floor, covering her face with her hands and sobbing quietly. 

After a few minutes, she began to stop, and she sniffed, wiping her eyes with her forearm. She looked back up at the drawing for a moment, before shuffling away and curling up in her corner.

~

Her eyes flickered open when she heard soft footsteps behind her. She tensed, pulling her tail defensively closer to her body. The footsteps stopped and the soft click of nails touching metal made one of Catra’s ears twitch in the direction of the noise.

“Catra… I…” Glimmer started. She sighed. Catra heard another metallic clink and pulled herself into a sitting position, turning her head slightly to see Glimmer. The short, pink haired girl had just picked up Catra’s mask and was holding it, facing the wall. She had one hand on the dark metal, near the drawings. She ran her slender fingers over the scores crossing out Catra. She then moved her hand over the drawing of Adora. After a moment she glanced down at the red mask, bringing it up towards the Glimmer drawing. She used one of the pointed ends to slowly drag a line over it, the clashing metal making a hushed scraping sound. 

Silence passed, and neither of them moved.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two prisoners finally eat the food brought to them. Catra helps Glimmer again after her wings cause her pain, and relives an old memory from her childhood with Adora.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took such a long time to finish and put up. I had to finish something for school, but now I'm on break, and will have time to update this fic more frequently! I'm trying to keep every chapter a little more than two pages long. I hope you enjoy this one; it's about to get intense!

Glimmer rounded to face Catra. The Magicat’s tail twirled on the floor, restless, and her ears were flat to her skull. Glimmer approached her slowly, extending the hand holding the mask. Catra turned her face away. Glimmer sighed and put the mask on the floor near Catra. She waited a moment, then moved to the tray and bent over to pick it up. Bringing it back over to Catra, Glimmer slumped down next to her, picking up a piece of bread. Glimmer could see Catra eyeing the other piece, her mismatched gaze reflecting the weak light. The pink haired girl nudged it over, and reluctantly Catra took it. They munched silently on the bread. 

Once it was finished, Catra handed Glimmer a fruit and kept the other for herself. For the moment the angry girl’s face was in the light, Glimmer could see stains running down her cheeks, not dissimilar to her own. The taller girl looked at her fruit for a minute. Then she scooched away into the dark, her back weakly illuminated and her wild mane of hair hiding her face.

Glimmer sighed and ate her fruit, remembering Adora’s reaction when she first tried some when they were in Thaymore. It seemed like a long time ago. She crawled back over to her corner and curled up on her side, closing her eyes.

~

Violet eyes shot open and she gasped, pushing herself upright. She screwed her eyes shut again and gritted her teeth against the pain. It felt like her back was being slowly torn open. Glimmer curled her hands into fists and slammed one against the floor, fresh tears beginning to drip down beside it. _Why do these stupid wings have to hurt so much!_ The pain increased and she gasped sharply again, letting out a whine. She wished more than anything she could be back home, like her mother promised, with Aunt Casta, who could make the pain go away when her wings finally came in. Now she was alone in a cell on an alien spacecraft stuck with the person who had caused her the most harm in the last year than she had ever felt in her life. Glimmer let out an angry cry and banged her fist on the floor again, her vision growing blurry with tears. 

She was too consumed by the searing pain to notice Catra turn and move towards her. The tanned girl’s ears were pinned back and her eyes were wide; she glanced around the empty cell, searching for something to help with. She grabbed one of the bottles of water and knelt beside Glimmer, using her claws to swiftly rip off the top. She poured the contents over the frail lilac wings, and the shock of icy water brought Glimmer’s attention back to the moment. She choked back her tears, willing them to stop as the pain gradually began to subside. She could feel Catra’s slender hands on her back, picking off bits of caked blood and dirt. Catra stopped and took hold of her white gloved hand firmly, stripping the dirty fabric off her arm before giving it a quick rinse with what remained of the water. Somehow, she ripped and tied it into some sort of sling that kept her wings away from her back, attaching it to what remained of the back of her shirt, and the woosh of cold air on wet skin made Glimmer shiver. Having stopped sobbing, she held her arm self consciously. Catra grunted and sat down next to her. 

“Your skin was dry and dirty, and was blocking your feathers from growing out properly.” She murmured, gazing at the floor. She had her legs bent up and was resting her elbows on her knees, in what didn’t seem to be a comfortable position.

“How did you…?”

“Adora taught me to do that. When we were kids she found a bird that had a broken wing, and insisted that we take care of it.” … 

**  
Adora ran over to their bunk bed, shaking Catra and grabbing her tail. Sleepily, Catra blinked her eyes open.**

**“Catra! I wanna show you something, but you have to promise not to try and kill it, okay?” Curious, Catra’s ears perked up.**

**“Okay, what is it?” Adora let go of her tail and took her hand, pulling her out of the barracks. It was a sunny day, for Horde standards, and the sky was as clear as it got. Adora ran around the side of the building, leading them closer to the edge of the Fright Zone.**

**“Shhh.” She whispered, stopping in front of a large pile of crates and glancing around to check if anyone was nearby. A couple guards stood at a distance, manning an entrance and another stood watch in a tower nearby, but nobody took notice of the two children.  
Adora signalled to Catra to follow her behind the stacked boxes, and in a small space between them huddled a strange creature. It was grey, much like their surroundings, but had soft yellow feathers around it’s throat and feet, as well as some on the tips of its wings. It had no arms or tail, or even ears. Catra had never seen something like it before. It looked up at them with bright yellow eyes and let out a small squawk.**

**“It’s okay, we’re not gonna hurt you, we want to help!” Adora cooed, sitting down next to the creature. Catra squatted down on the other side, bending over it and sniffing.**

**“What is this thing?” Catra asked, touching it’s feathers with a finger. One of its wings was in a crooked position, and the creature wasn’t moving it very much.**

**“It’s a bird. And I think it’s hurt.” Adora explained. She gently lifted the wing and the ‘bird’ let out a pained chirp. “Here, hold its wing up, like this.” Adora instructed moving Catra’s hand to hold up the wing. Catra grabbed it carefully and watched as Adora ripped the bottom of her shirt. She wrapped it around the bird’s wing and secured the sling to the back of its neck, keeping the wing in place.**

**“How’d you do that?” Catra asked incredulously, letting go of the bandaged wing.**

**“I saw a senior cadet do it during a medical practice.” Adora smiled.  
**

… Catra closed her eyes and sighed. “We took care of it for a while, and set it free once it got better. I had to stop Rogelio from trying to eat it once. The best part is, Shadow Weaver never even found out.” She chuckled softly. “We did so much together, Adora and I…” Glimmer noticed her ears drooped when she said Adora’s name.

“Then, why didn’t you go with her?”


End file.
